Probably already been said (but I was blotto yesterday) but take a bow Gucchi. Tremendous performance. Just need that consistentcy. PS, I will go back and read the posts I've missed.
I was going to say pretty much the same thing with regards to Gooch and all the comments. Gooch yesterday reminded me a little bit of Nicky Summerbee. He didn't 'need' to go past his man because that lad was an unbelievable crosser of the ball and he would just bend it around the defender. Yesterday Gooch swung a good amount in as well without going past his man and there were some peaches of crosses as well. Like you said, hopefully AN is getting into these players about keeping it simple, which is now beginning to show the results.
One tremendous game in two seasons, does not make a summer, he has his critics he has his fans, none of them or all of them are morons.
What I liked about his interview is that he also said that it's not just the fans that have expectations to win every game, the club does and he does. A proper club man mentality. I think he's probably the best manager we've had in quite a while
I referred to the Summerbee comparison in one of his earlier games as a wing back, and thought he had a future with us in that position, it was followed by a string of games in which he was a liability, I sincerely hope Gooch goes on and plays with an acceptable level of consistency from now on, we all do..
He’s even said himself how the different positions he’s been asked to play have caused him problems. He played in (imo) his best position yesterday and was superb. He’s had another 2 or 3 games like that this season. Opening game he was absolutely unplayable. Hopefully he’ll mail down the position and be allowed to stay there and show what he did yesterday. As you say it’s not summer yet but hopefully signs of spring!
Gooch's biggest issue is that his decision making in the final third is not great, to many times running into blind alleys by holding on to the ball too long. Yesterday he kept it simple in the final third, got half of yard space and delivered the cross first time. Strikers thrive on this delivery as they only want to make the run once, nothing more frustrating for them that the winger beating the full back and not putting it in but going back and beating the full back again by which time the forward is static with a centre half all over him. Yesterday afternoon especially second half was a perfect example of Summerbee in his prime - get the space cross the ball into the right areas for the strikers to get on the end of it. His general passing was spot on as well. I think he gets a lot stick in comparison to Roberts and Clarke who have played wide in recent weeks and their final ball is as inconsistent as his but because they have a trick they get away with it. The failure to go up automatically this season has to be laid at Speakman's door. The handling of LJ's sacking and the impact that this had on the young players in the team, the chase of Keane and failure to complete this which damaged the supporters confidence in the board and put a gloom of despondency around the place, the unbalanced squad after January's transfer window, the caretakers appointment, allowing LJ to play games with a Covid impacted squad.
We all hope that Marcus, I know I do anyway, but its his Jekyll and Hyde performances that are the problem, I am certain that AN will sort it out one way or another, but the current situation demands more of the Jekyll and less of the Hyde. OaU
I've said, for some time, that there's a problem for Gooch rather than with him. Time and again he's received the ball, which he always wants to do, and time stands still with players watching on. He has no one running off him, or ahead of him, so he sets up off the line. He'll beat a man, look up and find he's the highest up the pitch. That leaves him with the option of throwing in a hopeful cross or checking back and waiting for support ... both leave him looking indecisive and lead to comments about decision making and blind alleys. It was clear, yesterday, that Neil has instructed the midfield to push on and for the strikers to get into the box. That made it easier for Gooch, and Roberts, to fire the ball in. For the third goal Gooch knew someone would be in the box so could just send the ball in. At Plymouth Stewart would've still been on the edge of the box but his renewed confidence had him waiting for the cross. And I don't buy this Inconsistency line either to be blunt. This wasn't the 'one in a dozen games' that's being said, he's been good and sometimes very good more than he's been poor imo ... ... in all honesty who has been more consistently good this season.
I'd agree with that although plenty were groaning about him at first and thought he was finished here. As with Evans, Gooch, O'Nien, etc, it shows players aren't terminally shyte after a few poor games.
